On January 7 of this year, it was announced that Bishop Salvatore Matano, then bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, New York, would retire and be succeeded by Bishop John Bonnici, previously an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York. It was more than a simple passing of the proverbial torch; it was the end of an era.

Many in Vermont are able to remember the episcopacy of Bishop Matano, who served as the Diocese of Burlington’s ninth bishop from 2005 until he was moved to the Diocese of Rochester in 2014. His story, however, begins much earlier than that; ordained a priest of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island in 1971, then-Father Matano quickly established a reputation as a tireless worker in service to the Church, teaching at one of Providence’s Catholic high schools before being named the diocese’s director of priest personnel and then, in 1980, assistant chancellor. “I encountered the priestly ministry following the lives of the faithful from birth to death” explained Bishop Matano. “In times of joy and sorrow, in times of challenge and in times of success. I saw how the administration of the sacraments impacted the parishioners. In all of this, Jesus was so very present.”

Receiving a doctorate in Canon Law in 1983, Father Matano was named an honorary prelate, i.e. Monsignor, in 1985, just 14 years after his priestly ordination. In 1991, he was called to serve as secretary to the apostolic nuncio to the United States, being also made vicar general and moderator of the curia for his diocese the following year. In 1995, he took on the additional role of lecturer in the theology department at Providence College.

This meteoric rise, recognized multiple times by the Vatican, might seem by outward appearances the career trajectory of one who imagines for themselves a career in ecclesial politics, or perhaps even wants and welcomes it. However, what occurred next in Monsignor Matano’s career defies this perception: in 1997, he gave up all of his Vatican- and diocese-assigned appointments to return to being what he first set out to be: a parish priest. The Diocese of Providence, supporting his decision, placed him at Saint Sebastian’s in eastern Rhode Island.

The perennial, almost tragic poetry of Church history is the struggle of pious men and women to avoid power, to avoid the world, only to have both find them and call them to service in the end. Just three years after his appointment as a parish priest, Monsignor Matano was called once more to serve as secretary to the apostolic nuncio; and just five years after this, he was named first coadjutor bishop and then ordinary bishop of the Diocese of Burlington, succeeding Bishop Kenneth Angell.

Bishop Matano’s episcopal style was always a reflection of his ethic and approach to encountering the faith. He was, and indeed is, a man who embraces the academic and philosophical side of the Church; the scholasticism of men like Aquinas and Augustine is expressed clearly in his writings and homilies. However, this is not the full measure; his career and episcopal style belie a deep, pastoral care for the laity of the Church. “The people are fantastic” Bishop Matano reminisced; “and the priests true co-workers in the vineyard. We had serious challenges, but the priests and people always exhibited great support and enduring faith. I still miss the diocese.”

Bishop Matano became Bishop of Burlington during a time of rapid change and uncertainty. The decline of the total number of Catholics in the state as well as the number of priestly vocations, first noted in the 1970s, accelerated in 2000 and beyond. The Diocese of Burlington was a diocese in transition; reverting from a growing Catholic community to a more missionary arm of the Church. By the same token, Bishop Matano’s episcopacy saw demographic change and evolving spiritual needs in the state; historically a diocese propelled largely by French-Canadian immigration, the Diocese of Burlington in the late 2000s and early 2010s saw a historic increase in migrants from Catholic parts of the world further afield: central and western Africa, southeast Asia, and Latin America. Much of Bishop Matano’s pastoral work involved finding a way to restructure the diocese to better address these changing needs; to find a way forward into a missionary age, not ceding to decline, but rather allowing the Church to find new life and new strength in the new century. Much work remains; challenges abound. “The need for solid evangelization and catechesis has grown with each passing year” Bishop Matano pointed out. “Some leave the Church or do not practice the faith, sadly not knowing or understanding the teachings of the Church grounded in the person of Christ … But separately, our cultural shift away from Jesus has proved disastrous, resulting in bitter divisions, violence, anger, hostility, unwarranted prejudices, and depression among so many, even among our young people. Also, the very fabric of society has been torn apart by a continued attack upon human life from the moment of conception to natural death.”

By the same token, Bishop Matano sees signs of hope and renewal. “I do sense that many of our Catholics long for a deeper union with Jesus Christ and desire to know about Him and His Church. This intentionality of practicing the Faith is very encouraging.”

“I don’t like the word ‘retirement’” Bishop Matano said, when discussing plans for the next chapter following his episcopacy. “One always remains a bishop; I will however be free of the daily administration of a diocese. I will live in a parish and celebrate joyfully the sacraments as Bishop Emeritus of Rochester. I will also serve our Diocesan Bishop whenever he asks my assistance in any way.”

Bishop Matano’s episcopacy in Burlington ended in January 2014 when he was made Bishop of Rochester, New York. However, his legacy in Vermont remains visible; made our bishop at a time when it was becoming more difficult to be a visible, practicing Catholic, Bishop Matano charted a course into the new era which left little room for fear or uncertainty. His episcopal motto was, and remains, In unitatem fidei — “To the unity of the faith.” In an age of hyper-individualism, where faith communities are increasingly assailed by the spirit of the age and divisions along political, social, generational, and ideological lines are increasingly commonplace, Bishop Matano’s legacy is a diocese that remains united in its struggle towards the kingship of Christ. The Diocese of Burlington is small, largely rural, and missionary compared to many others in the United States; however, it retains that sense of unity both in its community and with the wider Church. This unified identity is not accidental; it is curated and stewarded, by men such as Bishop Matano who see the faith for what it is: not the private preserve of any particular tribe, party, or province, but a unitive force for all of humanity.